National News

Thursday 8 February 2018

Catholic Professional Standards Limited

The seven-member board of the Catholic Church’s new child and vulnerable person standards setting, auditing and reporting organisation is now fully in place and pushing forward with the development of a major new approach to the way in which the Church ensures everyone who comes in contact with any of its ministries is as safe as possible.

Thursday 8 February 2018

Caritas Australia

Caritas Australia is deeply concerned that the Federal Government’s Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform Bill will undermine our democracy and stifle the voice of civil society. Caritas is calling for the Bill to be substantially amended.

Monday 5 February 2018

Fr Frank Brennan SJ, Eureka Street

7 December 2017 was the last sitting day of the Commonwealth Parliament last year.

The media spotlight understandably was on the historic vote in the parliament giving the go ahead to same sex marriage. Meanwhile, the pressure was on Labor’s Sam Dastyari to resign from the Senate in the wake of his dealings with Chinese business interests and of his political actions which may have been influenced by such dealings. Also, both sides of politics were having to admit that they had received significant donations from Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo. Immediately following the bipartisan euphoria on the passage of the same sex marriage legislation, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced to the House of Representatives a series of bills including the very shoddily drafted Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017.

Tuesday 6 February 2018

Office for Youth, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Melbourne’s Angela Markas has been encouraged to ‘be yourself’ as she prepares to represent young Australians at a Vatican gathering next month that will help inform this year’s Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.

Monday 5 February 2018

Peter Malone MSC, Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting

While ‘den of thieves’ is a scriptural phrase and Jesus is the one to clear the 'thieves' out of the temple, it is a bit of a stretch to see the special squad of the LA sheriff’s department, scruffy, tough, burly and brutal, as the equivalent of Jesus!